


Getting Better

by alafaye



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 03:12:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/605198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin gets sick; Gwaine watches over him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Getting Better

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2012 holiday challenge at the LJ community "adventchallenge". Prompt is "warmth". Also covers the "remedy" square on my cotton candy bingo.

"Merlin!"

He turned toward Gwaine whose eyes were wide and finger was pointing behind Merlin. He started to turn again, but one of the bandits hit his head and he fell forward into the icy pond. The blow had knocked the wind out of him and now as he struggled to get it back;, every breath sucked in water. He flailed around, trying to get up, get out, but it seemed useless. Between the blow, the water, and the chill, he was being dragged under until all he could see was black.

Merlin was being stripped when he woke up, teeth chattering and limbs heavy with cold. He could distantly feel a fire near his feet and he vaguely saw Gwaine moving quickly around him, getting his clothes off. He tried to say something, anything, but his tongue wouldn't work right. Gwaine smiled weakly when he saw Merlin was awake, but it faded to a frown as Merlin dropped off again.

He was warm when he woke up, dressed in warm clothes and under a quilt. Gwaine was snoring next to him, arm across Merlin's waist. Merlin looked around, noticing they were in his own room behind Gaius' work shop. He tried to sit up, but Gwaine's arm was unyielding. He fell back with a sigh.

Luckily, the door opened soon, just as he was drifting off again, and Gaius entered with one of his remedies, if the smell was anything to go by. "Good, you're awake. Drink this and tell me how you feel," Gaius said as he reached over and helped Merlin sit up. He handed over the cup and had Merlin bend forward to look at his head.

Merlin looked into the cup which was thick and smelled of dirt and wet dog. He grimaced and swallowed it down. Tasted as bad too. He shoved the cup back at Gaius. "Ugh. That was disgusting."

"Just as well you don't know what's in it," Gaius said with a chuckle.

Merlin shuddered. "I feel fine other than being tired."

"A fall into a pond in the middle of winter will do that," Gaius said. "How's your head?"

He had a small headache, but nothing bad. He said as much and Gaius nodded as if he expected that. He left with the promise to bring something to eat and Merlin sat back. He reached out and brushed some hair that had fallen forward on Gwaine's eyes. He kept his hands there, running through Gwaine's hair.

"Feels good," Gwaine mumbled moments later. "Except you're the one with the bruised head, not me." He awkwardly rearranged them until they were comfortable, but not ideally.

"Your bed needs to be bigger," Gwaine muttered with an obvious pout, not that Merlin could see it. Gwaine was leaning against the wall and Merlin was settled between Gwaine's legs, on his side and pillowed on Gwaine's chest.

"This is fine," Merlin sighed.

Gwaine chuckled. "You've been asleep the last few days, had us all worried. How are you feeling?"

"Like I could keep sleeping until Christmas," Merlin muttered. "But only a small headache, nothing else."

"Good," Gwaine said. He wrapped his arms around Merlin and breathed deep. He was warm and Merlin settled in further, the cold still a phantom ache in his bones. This--in bed with Gwaine, warm and cared for--was a better remedy than what Gaius had given him, he decided.

"Suppose it's a good day for you that Arthur gave me a few days off to tend to you," Gwaine said.

"Brilliant," Merlin said. "Now, don't move. Please."

Gwaine chuckled, but didn't move an inch. Merlin took a deep breath and pulled the quilt further over them. He smiled, content.


End file.
